Automobile door locking mechanism



G. TASMAN AUTOMOBILE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM Filed May l2, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 6m 6i s/m/l/ ATTO RNEY Sept. 27, i938., G. TASMAN I AUTOMOBILE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM Filed May 12, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR im 5f 72;

gi, `ATTORI-1EY 5 Patented Sept. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES AUTOMOBILE DOOR LOCKING MEOHANISM George Tasman, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application May 12, 1936, Serial No. 79,223

11 Claims.

This invention relates to door locking mechanism forautomobiles and the like.

It is an object of this invention to provide an automobile door latch in which the handles may be set substantially ush with the sides of an automobile body and which nevertheless may be opened with a single movement of the hand.

It is a further object to provide a mechanism of .the character described which will operate easily and eciently and at the same time afford ample clearance for the glass of the door.

It is a further object to provide a device of the character described which may be readily installed and which will be securely held in place and which will be ornamental and which, nevertheless, will operate eiiciently at all times.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be eX- emplied in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the mechanism along the line I-I of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the device as viewed from the side of the car.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the latch mechanism with the door locked but in position to be operated by the inside handle.

Figure 4 is a similar view operated by the inside handle.

Figure 5 is a view of the device unlocked, ready to be operated by the outside handle.

Figure 6 is a similar view after it has been operated by the inside handle.

Figure 7 is a detail section on the line 'I-'I of Figure 5.

In the drawings the numeral I designates a pillar of the car body and the numeral I I a door. These two parts being adapted to meet along a surface having the usual stepped formation as shown at I2 to provide a tight joint.

In accordance with this invention, the latch mechanism is mounted upon the edge wall of the door I3, instead of upon the inner face as has heretofore been customary, and a bolt I4 is pivoted about a pivot screw I transverse to the edge wall .I3 of the door.

The latch mechanism of this fastening device .may be carried upon a plate I6 which may be either inset into the facev of the edge wall I3 of the door or, as shown in the drawings, it may be attached to the inner face of this'edge wall, being held to the edge wall by screws or rivets I'I..

This mechanism comprises primarily a bell 5 crank lever I8 held pivotally to the plate I6 by i the screw I5 and controlledby a spring I9 attached at one end to the plate I6 as shown at 38 and at the other Ato the lever I8, the tension of the spring` I9 being such as to hold the lever 10 I8 in counterclockwise position as seen in Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6, with the bolt down. The bell crank lever I8 has one arm 2| having a projection 22 extending outwardly of the door through an arcuate slot 23 in the plate I6 and beyond the edge wall of the door and carrying at its outer end the bolt I4. The projection 22 has a notch 22a of a radial Width equal to the slot 23 and less than the radial dimension of the bolt I4. The bolt may be inserted through the slot 23 by turning it sideways until the plate I6 comes in line with the notch 22a behind the bolt Vand. then bringing the lever I8 to normal position, thus causing ,the sides of the notch to engage v the edges of the slot 23 to provide a bearing for the -bolt upon each side of the slot 23. In this way the bell crank lever is partly held in place by its engagement of the slot 23 and at the same time, any thrust occurring upon the bolt I4 during the opening or closing of the door is V30 taken by the edge of the slot 23 and is notY communicated to the pivot I5. The lever I8 has an upwardly projecting arm 24 by which it may b e operated by the outer handle and a downwardly projecting arm 25 by w 'ch' it may be operated by the inner handle of the door. AIn general the outer and inner handles may have the same general characteristics comprising a surface plate 26 having a central recessed portion 2l surrounded by an inturned flange 28 adapted to bear against they outer face or the inner face, as the case may be, of the side plates of the door. At one end, this plate 26 is provided with a projection 29 `carrying a vertical pivot 30 for a handle 3|, Vthis handle being of a shape to be concealed or substantially concealed within the recess 28 of the plate 26. To hold the plate 26 in place it may be provided upon the inner side at the end opposite the projection 29 with an auxiliary bracket 32 adapted to ex- 5.0 tend upon zthe inner Wide metal of the door, so that the metal of the door is embraced between the flange 28 and the bracket 32. The other side of the plate 26 is held inplace by an engagement between the projection 29 and the door. 55

For the inside of the car there is provided upon the door a stud 33 for the plate 25 adapted to extend within a recess 34 in the projection 29 of the plate, and a small screw35fitting in from the edge of the projection 29 engages the stud 33 to hold the plate 26 in place. The plate 2B intended for the exterior is held in place by a screw 3B extending into the projection 29 from the back through the metal of the door.

Each of the handles 3I is provided, intermediate its length with a pivot 31 for the door operating mechanism. In the case of the outer door, this pivot 31 connects to an arcuate link 38 connected by a screw 39 with the arm 24 of the lever I8. The link 38 being slotted along an arc, .about the screw I as the center as shown at 39a to receive the screw 39, so that the link 38 cannot be moved without operating thebell crank lever I8, but the bell crank lever may be operated without moving the link and handle. This link 38 has an extension 48 provided with a recess 4 I and there is pivoted upon the plate a pin 42 having a bent end 43 adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with the recess 4I in the link 38, by turning the pin 42. The pin 42 has upon its inside a handle 44 by which it may be operated, thus' in one position of the handle 44 the projection 4I will prevent movement of the link 38 and hence prevent operation of the door handle upon the outside of the car, but in the other position of the handle, the projection 43 is out of the pathway of the link and the handle may be operated without obstruction to open the door.

The internal handle has its pivot 31 connected by a link 45 to a bent end 48 of an operating rod 41 which is pivotally held to the side plate of the car by plates 48. This rod 41 has its other extremity bent to form an operating nger 49 to engage the edge 58 of the arm 25 upon the lever I8. Thus when the inside handle 3I is pulled, the rod 41 will be rotated and the finger 49, by engaging the arm 25, will rotate the lever I8 to raise the latch, the pivot 39 sliding in the slot 39a without moving the outer handle.

In accordance with this invention, the catch upon the door to receive the bolt may be provided with two steps arranged in a vertical plane transverse to the side of the door as shown at 5I and 52 so that as the door is closed, the bolt I4 will ride up over the surface of the projection to hold the door in place.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover` all of the generic and specific features of theinvention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A latch adapted for use on an automobile door having a movable glass therein, comprising in combination a plate having a recess therein adapted toI be mounted on the face of said door, a door handle mounted within said recess and pivoted to said plate at one end of said handle about an axis parallel to the face of the door, a

bolt pivoted on a second plate in alignment with the edge wall of said door about an axis transverse to the edge wall and a link connecting an intermediate portion of said handle to said bolt.

2. A latch adapted for use on an automobile door having a movable glass therein, comprising in combination a plate having a recess therein adapted to be mounted on the face of said door, a door handle mounted within said recess and pivoted to said plate at one end of said handle about an axis parallel to the face of the door, a bolt pivoted on a second plate in alignment with the edge wall of said door about an axis transverse to the edge wall, a slotted link connecting an intermediate portion of said handle to said bolt and means for operating said bolt from the inside.

3. A latch adapted for use on an automobile door having a movable glass therein, comprising in combination a plate having a recess therein adapted to be mounted on the face of said door, a door handle pivotally mounted within said recess and pivoted to said plate at one end of said handle about an axis parallel to the face of the door, a bolt pivoted on a second plate in alignment with the edge wall of said door about an axis'transverse to the edge wall, and a slotted link connecting an intermediate portion of said handle to said bolt, said link having a notch therein and a catch upon said second plate in position to enter said notch to prevent said handle being moved to open said door and means to operate said bolt from the interior.

4. A latch for an automobile body having a door thereon, comprising in combination a catch adapted to be mounted on said body adjacent to said door, a plate adapted to be mounted on the edge wall of said door opposite said catch, a bolt pivoted to said plate about an axis transverse to the plate, the pivot of said bolt being nearer the outer face of the door than the body thereof and being positioned to engage said catch, a handle adapted to be pivoted to the door about a vertical axis at one end of the handle and connections between said handle and said bolt whereby a movement of the handle will rock the bolt about its axis to free it from the catch.

5. A latch for an automobile body having a door thereon, comprising in combination a catch adapted to be mounted on said body adjacent to said door, a plate adapted to be mounted on the edge wall of said door opposite said catch, a bolt pivoted tosaid plate about an axis transverse to. the plate, the pivot of said bolt being nearer the outer face of the door than the body thereof and being positioned to engage said catch, a handle adapted to be pivoted to the door about a vertical axis at one end of the handle and a link connecting an intermediate portion of said handle to said bolt whereby a movement of said handle will rock said bolt about its axis to free it from said catch.

6. A latch for an automobile body having a door thereon, comprising in combination a catch adapted to be mounted on said body adjacent to said door, a plate adapted to be mounted on the ,edge wall of said door opposite said catch, a bolt pivoted to said plate about an axis transverse to the plate, the pivot of said bolt being nearer the outer face of the door than the body thereof and being positioned to engage said catch, a handle adapted to be pivoted to the door about a vertical axis. at one end of the handle and a link connecting an intermediate portion of said handle to said bolt whereby a movement of said handle will rock said bolt about its axis to free it from said catch, and a catching mechanism engaging said link to prevent movement thereof.

7. A latch for an automobile body having a door thereon, comprising in combination a catch adapted to be mounted on said body adjacent to said door, a plate adapted to be mounted on the edge of the door opposite the catch, a lever pivoted to the plate having a bolt thereon, said plate having an arcuate slot therethrough and said bolt extending through said slot in position to engage said catch, said lever lying parallel to said plate and closely adjacent to said plate, an outside handle and means lying closely parallel to said plate for connecting said plate to said outside handle, an inside handle and means lying close to the inside face of said door for connecting said inside handle to said lever, whereby said mechanism is all kept to the edges of said door and the center space is free to receive a window.

8. A latch for an automobile body having a door thereon, comprising in combination a catch adapted to be mounted on said body adjacent to said door, a plate adapted to be mounted on the edge of the door opposite the catch, a lever pivoted to said plate and having a bolt thereon, said plate having an arcuate slot therethrough and said bolt extending through said slot in position to engage said catch, said lever lying parallel to said plate and closely adjacent to said plate, an outside handle and means lying closely parallel to said plate for connecting said plate to said outside handle, an inside handle and means lying close to the inside face of said door for connecting said inside handle to said lever, whereby said mechanism is all kept to the edges of said door and the center space is free to receive a window, each of said connections containing a lost motion device to permit operation from either handle without moving the other.

9. A latch for an automobile body having a door thereon, comprising in combination a catch adapted to be mounted on said body adjacent to said door, a plate adapted to be mounted on the edge of the door opposite the catch, a' lever pivoted to the plate having a bolt thereon, said plate having an arcuate slot therethrough and said bolt extending through said slot in position to engage said catch, an inside handle and an outside handle and connections between `each of said handles and said lever for moving the bolt about its axis to free it from the catch, said connection between said outside handle and said lever comprising a slottedv link and a catch mech-y anism adapted to be mounted upon said door for engaging said link to prevent movement thereof.A

10. A latch for an automobile body having a door thereon, comprising in combination a catch adapted to be mounted on said body adjacent tosaid door, a plate adapted to be mounted on the edge of the door opposite the catch, a lever pivoted to the plate having a bolt thereon, said plate having an arcuateY slot therethrough and said bolt extending through said slot in position to engage said catch, an. inside handle and an: outside handle and connections between each of said handles and said lever for moving the bolt about its axis to free it from the catch, the connection between said inside handle and said lever comprising a horizontal rod adapted to. be` pivotally mounted upon the door and. having one end thereof connected by a link to the inside handle and having an arm at the other end to contact said lever to operate the bolt.

11. A bolt mechanism comprising a plate adapted tobe mounted upon the end wall of an automobile door, a lever pivoted to the plate on an axis transverse thereto, a bolt carried by said lever, there being a slot through said plate through which said bolt extends, said bolt being radially of greater dimension than the width of said slot and being provided with grooves to engage said slot and transversely of less thickness than the width of said slot whereby said bolt may be inserted in said slot when turned sideways and When brought to normal position will be held in place and supported by the engagement of the edges of said slot with said groove.

GEORGE TASMAN. 

